Loganair is calling for a cut in Air Passenger Duty on UK domestic flights to help support recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
The UK’s largest regional airline after the collapse of Flybe in March wants a ‘Tax Off for Take Off’ campaign equivalent to the government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ initiative for the hospitality sector in August.
The carrier is continuing to lobby alongside trade bodies for an alleviation, particularly where passengers on domestic return trips pay double the tax of those flying out of the UK to European destinations.
Chief executive Jonathan Hinkles, speaking as the airline released its summer 2021 schedule early, said that recovery from the pandemic has been “incredibly slow and shows every sign of remaining that way”.
He added: “It is imperative that the government now acts to provide additional support for the sector through an alleviation of Air Passenger Duty and ending of double taxation on domestic flights.
“It has helped the housing market with alleviations of stamp duty; the restaurant trade with the Eat Out to Help Out programme and the hospitality sector with VAT cuts.
“Yet aviation has been left behind and continues to suffer deeply from international travel restrictions and the consequent impact on consumer confidence.
“We urgently need a ‘Tax Off For Take Off’ equivalent campaign to help the aviation industry through this incredibly difficult recovery.
“Regional airlines and airports play a key part in UK connectivity but won’t continue to exist unless a cohesive support programme from the government, led by the reform of APD, is rapidly introduced.”
Hinkles said the earlier launch of our summer schedule “is a recognition that there is demand from customers who have deferred travel plans from this summer as a result of the pandemic and who are now waiting to book for next year”.
The schedule sees the introduction of several routes which had been deferred or suspended this summer due to the pandemic:
- Cornwall Airport Newquay will join the Loganair network with services to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Aberdeen. Up to four flights a week will operate between Newquay and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle, plus two weekly flights via Newcastle to Aberdeen;
- Services between Glasgow and Exeter will start in March 2021 with a daily regional jet service, complementing existing routes to Exeter from Edinburgh and Newcastle;
- Bergen will re-join the network with non-stop flights from Edinburgh, Newcastle and Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands and connections from other departure points;
- Jersey will be served from Aberdeen and Norwich, with enhanced links between Aberdeen and Jersey with one-stop same-plane weekday flights via Norwich.
- Further Jersey routes remain under discussion with key tour operator partners.